Dish washing machine

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a dish washing machine including a sump unit capable of reducing the number of elements thereof, and minimizing the number of coupling portions of the elements. The dish washing machine includes a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washing tub, and at least one injection nozzle to inject wash water into the washing tub. The sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sump housing is mounted, the guide member guiding the wash water pumped by the impeller directly to the at least one injection nozzle, and a housing cover to cover the sump housing and the guide member. The housing cover is formed with a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 2008-126183, filed on Dec. 11, 2008 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Exemplary embodiments relate to a dish washing machine including a sumpunit to store wash water, and to supply the wash water to an injectionnozzle via an inner channel by rotating an impeller.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a dish washing machine includes a body provided with awashing tub, a dish basket arranged in the washing tub, an injectionnozzle to inject wash water onto the dish basket, and a sump unitconnected to the injection nozzle, to pump the wash water to theinjection nozzle.

The sump unit included in such a conventional dish washing machineincludes a sump housing, an impeller arranged in the sump housing, animpeller housing, to which the impeller is mounted, and in which agarbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water in amixed state is defined, and an impeller housing cover to close theimpeller housing. The impeller housing cover is formed with a channel toguide wash water to an injection nozzle. The sump unit also includes asump cover to cover the sump housing, a filter cover mounted to the sumpcover, and provided with a filter to filter the wash water introducedinto the garbage chamber such that the garbage is separated from thewash water, and a drainage pump connected to the garbage chamber.

In such a conventional sump unit, the impeller housing, impeller housingcover, sump cover, filter cover, etc. are assembled in the sump housingin a stacked state. However, a complicated assembly process may berequired because a large number of constituent elements are assembled.Also, an increase in manufacturing costs may occur due to an increasednumber of elements to be assembled and an increased number of assemblyprocesses. Furthermore, the number of coupling portions of elements maybe increased. For this reason, the possibility of leakage of wash waterat the coupling portions may be increased.

Since a large number of constituent elements are coupled in a stackedstate, the structure of inner channels defined in the sump unit iscomplicated. As a result, an increase in the flow resistance of washwater may occur.

The increased number of elements may cause an increase in the volume ofthe sump unit. As a result, the washing space defined in the washing tubmay be relatively reduced in volume.

In such a conventional dish washing machine, the garbage chamber isprovided in the impeller housing arranged at a relatively low position.For this reason, it may be necessary to disassemble the entire portionof the sump unit when garbage is excessively accumulated in or fixed tothe garbage chamber.

SUMMARY

It is an aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washingmachine including a sump unit capable of reducing the number of elementsthereof, and minimizing the number of coupling portions of the elements.

It is another aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washingmachine including a sump unit having a simple inner channel structure.

It is another aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washingmachine including a sump unit having a compact structure to increase awashing space of a washing tub.

It is a further aspect of exemplary embodiments is to provide a dishwashing machine including a sump unit having a structure capable ofeasily removing garbage, etc. fixed to a garbage chamber.

In accordance with one aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dish washingmachine includes a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washing tub,and at least one injection nozzle to inject wash water into the washingtub, wherein the sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller to pumpwash water from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sumphousing is mounted, the guide member guiding the wash water pumped bythe impeller directly to the at least one injection nozzle, and ahousing cover to cover the sump housing and the guide member, thehousing cover being formed with a garbage chamber to collect garbagecontained in the wash water.

The at least one injection nozzle may be rotatably coupled to a centralportion of the housing cover. The impeller may be arranged at a positionlaterally spaced apart from the central portion of the housing cover.

The guide member may include a mounting portion, to which the impelleris mounted, and a channel extending spirally from a center of themounting portion.

The at least one injection nozzle may include a plurality of injectionnozzles. The plurality of injection nozzles may include a firstinjection nozzle directly connected to the sump unit, and a secondinjection nozzle connected to the sump unit via an extension channel.

The channel may be branched into a first channel to guide a flow ofwater to the first injection nozzle, and a second channel to guide aflow of water to the extension channel.

The sump unit may further include a valve arranged in the secondchannel, to open or close the second channel.

The housing cover may include a sampling hole to allow wash water toflow from the channel to the garbage chamber.

The housing cover may further include a guide member to guide, to thegarbage chamber, wash water introduced into the top of the housing covervia the sampling hole.

The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of thecoupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remainingpart of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.

In accordance with another aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dishwashing machine includes a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in thewashing tub, and an injection nozzle rotatably coupled to the sump unit,wherein the sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller to pump washwater from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sump housingis mounted, a housing cover to cover the sump housing and the guidemember, and a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the washwater introduced along the guide member, and the housing cover and thegarbage chamber are integrally formed.

The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of thecoupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remainingpart of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.

The guide member may include a channel to directly guide the wash waterto the injection nozzle.

The impeller may have a rotating axis arranged at a position spacedapart from a rotating center of the injection nozzle.

The housing cover may include a sampling hole to allow wash water toflow from the guide member to the garbage chamber.

The housing cover may further include a guide member to guide wash waterintroduced into a top of the housing cover via the sampling hole.

In accordance with another aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dishwashing machine includes a washing tub, a sump housing arranged at abottom of the washing tub, an impeller to pump wash water from the sumphousing, a guide member including a mounting portion, to which theimpeller is mounted, and a channel extending outwardly in a radialdirection of the mounting portion, and a housing cover to cover theguide member and the sump housing, the housing cover being formed with agarbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water.

The dish washing machine may further include an injection nozzlerotatably mounted to the housing cover, to supply wash water to thewashing tub.

The channel may guide a flow of water discharged from the impellerdirectly to a rotating center of the injection nozzle.

The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of thecoupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remainingpart of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of exemplary embodiments will become apparentand more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplaryembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a lateral sectional view of a dish washing machine accordingto an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an interior ofthe dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a sump unit of the dishwashing machine according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating in a state in whicha housing cover is separated from the sump unit in the dish washingmachine according to exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a flow of wash water on thehousing cover in the dish washing machine according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the housing cover of the dish washing machineaccording to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a state in whichinjection nozzles are separated from the sump unit of the dish washingmachine according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examplesof which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 is a lateral sectional view of a dish washing machine accordingto an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematicallyillustrating the interior of the dish washing machine according to anexemplary embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dish washing machine according to anexemplary embodiment includes a body 1 to define an outer appearance ofthe dish washing machine, a door 1 a rotatably coupled to a front wallof the body 1, and a washing tub 2 arranged in the body 1. The dishwashing machine also includes a sump unit 100 arranged on the bottom ofthe washing tub 2, to contain wash water and to pump the contained washwater, and injection nozzles 3, in detail, injection nozzles 3 a, 3 b,and 3 c, to inject the wash water pumped by the sump unit 100 into thewashing tub 2.

Racks 4, in detail, racks 4 a and 4 b, are arranged in the washing tub 2such that they may be loaded in and unloaded from the washing tub 2.

The racks 4 include an upper rack, namely, the rack 4 a, arranged at anupper portion of the washing tub 2, and a lower rack, namely, the rack 4b, arranged at a lower portion of the washing tub 2. The racks 4 a and 4b are slidably mounted to a side wall of the washing tub 2.

Dish baskets 5, in detail, dish baskets 5 a and 5 b, are coupled to theupper and lower racks 4 a and 4 b, respectively. Tableware such asdishes may be placed in the dish baskets 5.

A water supply port 6 is provided at one side wall of the washing tub 2,to enable wash water supplied from a water supply source to beintroduced into the washing tub 2. The wash water supplied through thewater supply port 6 falls to the bottom of the washing tub 2, and isthen introduced into the sump unit 100 via an inlet 44 formed through ahousing cover 40 of the sump unit 100. The housing cover 40 will bedescribed later.

The injection nozzles 3 are arranged such that they are rotatable by aninjection pressure of injected wash water. The injection nozzles 3 mayinclude a first injection nozzle, namely, the injection nozzle 3 a,arranged between the sump unit 100 and the lower rack 4 b, a secondinjection nozzle, namely, the injection nozzle 3 b, arranged between theupper and lower racks 4 a and 4 b, and a third injection nozzle, namely,the injection nozzle 3 c, arranged over the upper rack 4 a.

The first injection nozzle 3 a is directly connected to a centralportion of the top of the sump unit 100 while being rotatable, to injecta part of wash water pumped from the sump unit 100 toward the dishbasket 5 b arranged adjacent to the first injection nozzle 3 a.

The second and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c inject the remainingpart of the wash water pumped from the sump unit 100 toward the dishbaskets 5 a and 5 b arranged adjacent to the second and third injectionnozzles 3 b and 3 c, respectively.

An auxiliary injection nozzle 7 may also be arranged at a lower portionof the washing tub 2 adjacent to one side of the washing tub 2 in theillustrated embodiment. The auxiliary injection nozzle 7 injects washwater to a dead area where the wash water injected from the injectionnozzles 3 may not reach, to achieve an enhancement in washingefficiency.

The injection directions of the injection nozzles 3 and auxiliaryinjection nozzle 7 are directed to the associated dish baskets 5. Thewash water injected from the injection nozzles 3 and auxiliary injectionnozzle 7 strikes dishes placed in the dish baskets 5, thereby generatinghigh washing effects.

The second and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c, and the auxiliaryinjection nozzle 7 are connected to the sump unit 100 via extensionchannels 8, respectively. The extension channels 8 include a firstextension channel 8 a to connect the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 to thesump unit 100, and a second extension channel 8 b extending along a rearwall of the washing tub 2, to connect the second and third injectionnozzles 3 b and 3 c to the sump unit 100.

The extension channels 8 are connected to the sump unit 100, to guidewash water flowing in accordance with a high pumping pressure of thesump unit 100 such that the wash water is supplied to the auxiliaryinjection nozzle 7 and second and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c.

A bypass channel 9 is arranged at one side of the second extensionchannel 8 b such that the bypass channel 9 and second extension channel8 b extend in parallel.

A bypass tube 9 a is provided at one end, namely, a lower end, of thebypass channel 9, to receive wash water from a garbage chamber 45, whichwill be described later. At the other end, namely, an upper end, of thebypass channel 9, a hole 9 b is formed to allow the wash water risingalong the bypass channel 9 to overflow toward the washing tub 2.

The bypass tube 9 a is provided to bypass a part of wash water when thepressure of the wash water is abnormally increased due to accumulationof contaminants such as garbage in the garbage chamber 45.

A check valve may be arranged in the bypass tube 9 a, to allow washwater introduced into the bypass tube 9 a to flow upwardly through thebypass tube 9 a when the pressure of the wash water is equal to orhigher than a predetermined pressure. In the illustrated embodiment,however, the bypass of the wash water is achieved based on a height ofthe wash water in the bypass channel 9 varying in accordance with thepressure of the wash water, without using a check valve.

In the illustrated embodiment, the wash water introduced into the bypasstube 9 a is maintained at a certain height in the bypass channel 9 whenthe water pressure in the sump unit 100 is lower than a predeterminedpressure. However, when the water pressure in the sump unit 100 is equalto or higher than the predetermined pressure, the wash water in thebypass channel 9 rises along the bypass channel 9, so that it isdischarged into the washing tub 2 through the hole 9 b formed at theupper end of the bypass channel 9, thereby maintaining the garbagechamber 45 at a desired pressure.

The sump unit 100 is mounted on the bottom of the washing tub 2. Asdescribed above, the sump unit 100 contains wash water, and pumps thewash water, to supply the wash water to the injection nozzles 3 andauxiliary injection nozzle 7.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration ofthe sump unit of the dish washing machine according to an exemplaryembodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a statein which a housing cover is separated from the sump unit of the dishwashing machine according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is aperspective view illustrating a flow of wash water on the housing coverin the dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6is a rear view of the housing cover of the dish washing machineaccording to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspectiveview illustrating a state in which injection nozzles are separated fromthe sump unit of the dish washing machine according to an exemplaryembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sump unit 100 includes a sump housing 10 todefine an outer appearance of the sump unit 100, and a washing pump 20to pump wash water, a guide member 30 mounted to the sump housing 10, toguide a flow of the wash water pumped by the washing pump 20. Thehousing cover 40 is also included in the sump unit 10, to cover the sumphousing 10. A garbage chamber 45 is defined in the housing cover 40.

The sump housing 10 has a substantially circular structure, and isdownwardly recessed to accommodate various constituent elements.

A plurality of first coupling ribs 12 are protruded from a peripheraledge of the sump housing 10, in order to couple the guide member 30 andhousing cover 40 to the sump housing 10. A part of the first couplingribs 12 are coupled with the guide member 30, and the remaining part ofthe first coupling ribs 12 are coupled to second coupling ribs 40 bformed at a lower surface of the housing cover 40 (FIG. 6). The secondcoupling ribs 40 b will be described later.

The washing pump 20 is mounted at a position spaced apart from a centralportion A of the sump housing 10 in one radial direction. A heater 60 toheat wash water is mounted at a position spaced apart from the centralportion A of the sump housing 10 in opposite to the washing pump 20.

The washing pump 20 includes a pump motor 21 fixedly mounted to the sumphousing 10 beneath the sump housing 10, and an impeller 22 fixedlymounted to a rotating shaft of the pump motor 21. A cutting unit 24 tocut garbage may be arranged between the pump motor 21 and the impeller22.

The pump motor 21 is mounted to the bottom of the sump housing 10 at theoutside of the sump housing 10. The rotating shaft of the pump motor 21is upwardly protruded through the bottom of the sump housing 10.

A sealing member 23 is arranged on the bottom of the sump housing 10such that it surrounds the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21, toprevent wash water from being leaked toward the pump motor 21.

The impeller 22 is arranged on an upper surface of the guide member 30while having a structure capable of axially receiving wash water, andthen radially discharging the wash water.

The cutting unit 24 functions to cut contaminants such as garbageintroduced into the sump unit 100 into fragments. The cutting unit 24includes a cutter 25 coupled to the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21such that it is rotated in accordance with rotation of the rotatingshaft, and a garbage filter 26 arranged over the cutter 25, to preventrelatively-large lumps of garbage from being introduced into theimpeller 22.

The heater 60 is mounted to the sump housing 10, in order to enhance acleaning performance of wash water. The sump housing 10 is formed with aheater installation recess 11 downwardly concaved while having a sizecorresponding to the heater 60. The heater 60 is accommodated in theheater installation recess 11.

Since the washing pump 20 is arranged at a position spaced apart fromthe central portion A of the sump housing 10 by a certain distance, itis possible to secure a space capable of providing the heaterinstallation recess 11 at the bottom of the sump housing 10.

The heater 60 is received in the heater installation recess 11 formed ata lowest position of the space of the sump housing 10. Accordingly, evenwhen the amount of wash water introduced into the sump housing 10 isrelatively small, the level of the wash water may be higher than theinstallation level of the heater 60, so that the heater 60 may not beexposed from the surface of the wash water. Thus, it may be possible toprevent the heater 60 from overheating.

A drainage pump 50 and a drainage tube 51 are arranged beneath the sumphousing 10 at one side of the sump housing 10, to discharge wash waterand garbage from the sump unit 100 to the outside of the dish washingmachine (FIGS. 1 and 3).

The impeller 22 is mounted to the sump housing 10. The guide member 30is also mounted to the sump housing 10, to guide a flow of the washwater discharged by the impeller 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the guide member 30 includes a through hole31 to receive wash water from the sump housing 10, a mounting portion 32formed around the through hole 31, to provide a mounting space for theimpeller 22, and channels 33 and 34 spirally defined around the mountingportion 32.

The garbage filter 26 is arranged beneath the through hole 31, toprevent relatively-large lumps of garbage from being introduced into theimpeller 22.

The impeller 22 functions to pump wash water from the sump housing 10 tothe guide member 30 by upwardly sucking wash water introduced into thesump housing 10 and fine garbage contained in the wash water, and thenradially discharging the wash water and garbage while rotating togetherwith the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21.

The channels 33 and 34 may include a first channel, namely, the channel33, branched from the mounting portion 32, to guide wash water to thefirst injection nozzle 3 a, and a second channel, namely, the channel34, branched from the mounting portion 32, to guide wash water to theextension channel 9.

The first and second channels 33 and 34 extend spirally around themounting portion 32. The first channel 33 extends toward the centralportion of the sump unit 100, whereas the second channel 34 extendstoward a peripheral edge of the sump unit 100.

The first channel 33 is formed to directly supply a flow of waterdischarged from the impeller 22 to the first injection nozzle 3 a,without using a separate channel member.

The second channel 34 is divided into a first branched channel 35communicating with the first extension channel 8 a, and a secondbranched channel 36 communicating the second extension channel 8 b.

A valve 37 is pivotally installed in the second channel 34. The valve 37functions to selectively open and close the first and second branchedchannels 35 and 36.

When the amount of dishes to be washed is large, the valve 37 opens thesecond branched channel 36 while closing the first branched channel 35.In this case, wash water flows only through the second branched channel36, to supply the wash water to the second extension channel 8 b. Thewash water supplied to the second extension channel 8 b is injectedthrough the auxiliary injection nozzle 7, to wash the dishes.

On the other hand, when the amount of dishes to be washed is small, thevalve 37 opens the first branched channel 35 while closing the secondbranched channel 36. In this case, wash water flows only through thefirst branched channel 35, to supply the wash water to the firstextension channel 8 a. The wash water supplied to the first extensionchannel 8 a is injected through the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3 c, to wash the dishes.

The housing cover 40 is arranged over the guide member 30. As describedabove, the housing cover 40 covers the top of the sump housing 10, inwhich the guide member 30 is placed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a through hole 41 is formed through a centralportion of the housing cover 40. The through hole 41 communicates withthe first channel 33, to allow the wash water from the first channel 33to be supplied to the first injection nozzle 3 a. The garbage chamber 45is formed around the through hole 41. An inlet 44 is circumferentiallyformed around a peripheral edge of the housing cover 40, to allow thewash water from the washing tub 2 to be introduced into the sump unit100.

The central portion A of the sump housing 10 in the sump housing 100 isaxially aligned with one side of the first channel 33 in the guidemember 30 and the through hole 41 of the housing cover 40 communicatingdirectly with the one side of the first channel 33.

The housing cover 40 also includes a first coupling portion 42 to becoupled with the first extension channel 8 a for the supply of washwater to the auxiliary injection nozzle 7, a second coupling portion 43to be coupled with the second extension channel 8 b for the supply ofwash water to the second and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c, and athird coupling portion 47 to be coupled with the bypass channel 9.

The garbage chamber 45 is formed at an upper surface of the housingcover 40 such that it is integrated with the housing cover 40.

A sampling hole 46 is provided at the housing cover 40, to introducewash water from the channels 33 and 34 of the guide member 30 to theupper surface of the housing cover 40. A guide member 49 is arrangedaround the sampling hole 46, to guide the wash water emerging from thesampling hole 46 to smoothly flow toward the garbage chamber 45.

Fine garbage introduced into the guide member 30 via the garbage filter26 by the impeller 22 after being cut by the cutter 25 is subsequentlyintroduced into the garbage chamber 45 in the housing cover 40 throughthe opening 46, together with the wash water. The garbage chamber 45collects the fine garbage introduced into the above-described manner,together with the wash water.

An outlet 48 is formed at the garbage chamber 45. The outlet 48 isconnected to the drainage pump 50. When the drainage pump 50 operates,garbage collected in the garbage chamber 45 is discharged into thedrainage tube 51, so that it is automatically drained to the outside ofthe dish washing machine. The top of the garbage chamber 45 is connectedto the bypass channel 9, so that the wash water in the bypass channel 9rises or falls in accordance with an inner water pressure of the garbagechamber 45.

As shown in FIG. 6, a rib 40 a is protruded from the lower surface ofthe housing cover 40 such that it has a shape corresponding to the shapeof the guide member 30. The rib 40 a is coupled with a peripheral edgeof the guide member 30, thereby defining the channels 33 and 34. Aplurality of second coupling ribs 40 b are formed at the lower surfaceof the housing cover 40 near a peripheral edge of the housing cover 40.A part of the second coupling ribs 40 b are coupled with the firstcoupling ribs 12 of the sump housing 10, and the remaining part of thesecond coupling ribs 40 b are coupled with the guide member 30.

The sump unit 100 further includes a mesh-shaped filter cover 70provided at the top of the housing cover 40, to prevent the garbagecollected in the garbage chamber 45 from overflowing the garbage chamber45 while allowing only the wash water in the garbage chamber 45 to flowoutwardly from the garbage chamber 45.

The filter cover 70 includes a mesh filter 71. As the filter cover 70 ismounted on the top of the housing cover 40, it prevents garbagecontained in the garbage chamber 45 of the housing cover 40 from beingupwardly discharged from the garbage chamber 45, together with the washwater discharged from the garbage chamber 45.

A fitting hole 72 is formed at a central portion of the filter cover 70.The first injection nozzle 3 a is fitted in the fitting hole 72. Thefirst injection nozzle 3 a is also rotatably coupled to the through hole41. The wash water in the first channel 33 rises upward due to a waterpressure generated in accordance with the operation of the impeller 22,so that it is supplied to the first injection nozzle 3 a through thethrough hole 41 of the housing cover 40.

Similarly, the wash water in the second channel 34 rises upward due tothe water pressure, so that it may be selectively introduced into thefirst extension channel 8 a or second extension channel 8 b through thefirst coupling portion 42 or second coupling portion 43. In this case,accordingly, the wash water is supplied to the auxiliary injectionnozzle 7 or the second and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c.

Thus, in the dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment,the first channel 33 to guide a flow of water discharged from theimpeller 22 to the through hole 41 of the housing cover 40, to which arotating shaft of the first injection nozzle 3 a is mounted, may beformed at the guide member 30, to which the impeller 22 is mounted,because the impeller 22 is arranged at a position eccentric from thecentral portion of the sump unit 100. It may also be possible to formthe garbage chamber 45 in the housing cover 40.

In an exemplary embodiment, accordingly, the garbage chamber 45 may beformed in the housing cover 40 to cover the guide member 30 and sumphousing 10, without any separate configuration. Thus, the sump unit usesa reduced number of constituent elements, as compared to conventionalsump units.

Since the number of constituent elements may be reduced, the number ofcoupling portions of the constituent elements may also be reduced. Asresult, the possibility of leakage of wash water at the couplingportions may be reduced.

As the constituent elements, the number of which may be reduced, arecoupled in a stacked state, the structure of inner channels may berelatively simplified. As a result, a reduction in the flow resistanceof wash water may be achieved.

Also, since the sump unit may be compact, the volume thereof may bereduced. Accordingly, it may be possible to increase the washing spaceof the washing tub.

In addition, when the garbage chamber is to be cleaned, in order toremove garbage fixed thereto, the cleaning operation for the garbagechamber may be implemented by separating only the filter cover, becausethe garbage chamber is formed in the housing cover.

Hereinafter, operation of an exemplary embodiment will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

Wash water supplied to the washing tub 2 via the injection nozzles 5 orwater supply port 6 is introduced into the sump unit 100 through theinlet 44 of the housing cover 40. The introduced water is then heated bythe heater 60.

When the pump motor 21 operates, relatively-large lumps of garbagecontained in the wash water are cut into smaller lumps by the cutter 25coupled to the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21. Fine garbage havinga size capable of passing through the garbage filter 26 is fed to theguide member 30, together with the wash water, in accordance with theoperation of the impeller 22, as shown in FIG. 4.

The wash water pumped in the above-described manner flows radially afterbeing discharged from the mounting portion 32 by the rotating force ofthe impeller 22, so that it is introduced into the first and secondchannels 33 and 34.

The wash water introduced into the first channel 33 flows in a directionindicated by an arrow A in FIG. 4, so that it is introduced into thefirst injection nozzle 3 a via the through hole 41 of the housing cover40 and the fitting hole 72 of the filter cover 70, as shown in FIGS. 5and 7.

On the other hand, the wash water introduced into the second channel 34flows in a direction indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 4. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 7, the wash water in the second channel 34 is thenintroduced into the first extension channel 8 a or second extensionchannel 8 b via the first coupling portion 42 or second coupling portion43 of the housing cover 40 in accordance with an operation of the valve37, so that it is supplied to the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 or to thesecond and third injection nozzles 3 b and 3 c.

Wash water and a part of garbage in the channels 33 and 34 flow in adirection indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 4, and then are dischargedfrom the top of the housing cover 40 via the sampling hole 46. Thedischarged wash water and garbage are guided by the guide member 49, tobe introduced into the garbage chamber 45, as shown in FIG. 5.

The wash water and garbage introduced into the garbage chamber 45 arefed to the mesh filter 71 by virtue of a pressure of following washwater. The wash water is again introduced into the sump housing 10 viathe inlet 44 after passing through the mesh filter 71, as shown in FIG.7. On the other hand, the garbage may not pass through the mesh filter71, so that it may be left in the garbage chamber 45.

When a certain amount of garbage is accumulated in the garbage chamber45, the drainage pump 50 operates to outwardly discharge the garbagefrom the garbage chamber 45.

In the dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment, thegarbage chamber may be formed in the housing cover to cover the sumphousing and guide member. Accordingly, the number of constituentelements of the sump unit may be reduced. As a result, the number ofcoupling portions of the constituent elements may also be reduced,thereby reducing the possibility of leakage of wash water at thecoupling portions.

As the constituent elements, the number of which may be reduced, arecoupled in a stacked state, the structure of inner channels may berelatively simplified. As a result, a reduction in the flow resistanceof wash water may be achieved.

Also, since the sump unit may be compact, the volume thereof may bereduced. Accordingly, it may be possible to increase the washing spaceof the washing tub.

In addition, when the garbage chamber is to be cleaned, in order toremove garbage fixed thereto, the cleaning operation for the garbagechamber may be implemented by separating only the filter cover, becausethe garbage chamber is formed in the housing cover.

Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, itwould be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may bemade in these exemplary embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is definedin the claims and their equivalents.

1. A dish washing machine comprising a washing tub, a sump unit arrangedin the washing tub, and at least one injection nozzle to inject washwater into the washing tub, wherein the sump unit comprises: a sumphousing; an impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing; a guidemember, to which the sump housing is mounted, the guide member guidingthe wash water pumped by the impeller directly to the at least oneinjection nozzle; and a housing cover to cover the sump housing and theguide member, the housing cover being formed with a garbage chamber tocollect garbage contained in the wash water.
 2. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 1, wherein: the at least one injection nozzle isrotatably coupled to a central portion of the housing cover; and theimpeller is arranged at a position laterally spaced apart from thecentral portion of the housing cover.
 3. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the guide member comprises a mountingportion, to which the impeller is mounted, and a channel extendingspirally from a center of the mounting portion.
 4. The dish washingmachine according to claim 3, wherein the at least one injection nozzlecomprises a plurality of injection nozzles, and the plurality ofinjection nozzles comprise a first injection nozzle directly connectedto the sump unit, and a second injection nozzle connected to the sumpunit via an extension channel.
 5. The dish washing machine according toclaim 4, wherein the channel is branched into a first channel to guide aflow of water to the first injection nozzle, and a second channel toguide a flow of water to the extension channel.
 6. The dish washingmachine according to claim 5, wherein the sump unit further comprises avalve arranged in the second channel, to open or close the secondchannel.
 7. The dish washing machine according to claim 3, wherein thehousing cover comprises a sampling hole to allow wash water to flow fromthe channel to the garbage chamber.
 8. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 7, wherein the housing cover further comprises aguide member to guide, to the garbage chamber, wash water introducedinto the top of the housing cover via the sampling hole.
 9. The dishwashing machine according to claim 1, wherein: the sump housingcomprises a plurality of coupling ribs; and a part of the coupling ribsare coupled with the guide member, and the remaining part of thecoupling ribs are coupled with the housing cover.
 10. A dish washingmachine comprising a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washingtub, and an injection nozzle rotatably coupled to the sump unit,wherein: the sump unit comprises a sump housing, an impeller to pumpwash water from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sumphousing is mounted, a housing cover to cover the sump housing and theguide member, and a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in thewash water introduced along the guide member; and the housing cover andthe garbage chamber are integrally formed.
 11. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 10, wherein: the sump housing comprises a pluralityof coupling ribs; and a part of the coupling ribs are coupled with theguide member, and the remaining part of the coupling ribs are coupledwith the housing cover.
 12. The dish washing machine according to claim10, wherein the guide member comprises a channel to directly guide thewash water to the injection nozzle.
 13. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 10, wherein the impeller has a rotating axis arrangedat a position spaced apart from a rotating center of the injectionnozzle.
 14. The dish washing machine according to claim 10, wherein thehousing cover comprises a sampling hole to allow wash water to flow fromthe guide member to the garbage chamber.
 15. The dish washing machineaccording to claim 14, wherein the housing cover further comprises aguide member to guide wash water introduced into a top of the housingcover via the sampling hole.
 16. A dish washing machine comprising: awashing tub; a sump housing arranged at a bottom of the washing tub; animpeller to pump wash water from the sump housing; a guide membercomprising a mounting portion, to which the impeller is mounted, and achannel extending outwardly in a radial direction of the mountingportion; and a housing cover to cover the guide member and the sumphousing, the housing cover being formed with a garbage chamber tocollect garbage contained in the wash water.
 17. The dish washingmachine according to claim 16, further comprising: an injection nozzlerotatably mounted to the housing cover, to supply wash water to thewashing tub.
 18. The dish washing machine according to claim 16, whereinthe channel guides a flow of water discharged from the impeller directlyto a rotating center of the injection nozzle.
 19. The dish washingmachine according to claim 16, wherein: the sump housing comprises aplurality of coupling ribs; and a part of the coupling ribs are coupledwith the guide member, and the remaining part of the coupling ribs arecoupled with the housing cover.